Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-09
RETALIATION.
The President Replies to a Letter from
the American Fisheries Union
of Massachusetts.
II Retaliation is Resorted To the In.
terests Of the Nation, not OF Peo-
pie, will be Considered.
No Sacrifice of Personal Interest Shall
be Considered as Against the
General Welfare.

WASHINGTON, April 8.-The President
having received a communication from
the American Fisheries Union Of Massa,
chusetts, calling attention to the fisheries
dispute, and suggesting that the retail.
story act passed by the late Congress
would, in their opinion, be sufficiently
executed if the proposed retaliation was
confined to the closing of the United
States markets to Canadian fish products,
he has made the following answer:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, April, I 1887
George Steele, Esq, Pre- sident of the American
| Fisheries Union and Others, Gloucester,
Mass
GENTLEMEN-I have received your let
ter lately addressed to me and have given
full consideration to the expression of
views and wishes therein contained in
relation to the existing differences between
the government of Great Britain and the
United States growing out of the refusal
to award to our citizens engaged in fish.
ing enterprises privileges to which they
are entitled, either under standing treaty
stipulatiOns or guarantees of inter-
national comfy and neIghbOrly con-
cessiOns. | sincerely trust the Rppreheu-
sion you express of unjust and unfreudlV
treatment of American fishermen lawfully
found in Canadian waters will not be
realized, but If such apprehension should
| prove TO DE well founded | earnestly hope
That no fault or lnCOpSiderate action Of
! any Of our citizens will in the least weak
en- the just position of our government or
| deprive the United States OF the universal
sympathy and support to which We should
{ be entitled. In the action of this admiLis-
tratiOn since June, 1885, when the fishery
articles f the treaty Of 1871 were termin-
ated under the notification which had TWO
years before been 9iyenhy our government,
! ithas been fully advised by correspondence
! between the representatives and the ap-
prOpIiate departments Of the respective
governments, with which | am ap-
! pri8ed by your letter you are en-
.irely familiar. An examination
of this correspondence has doubtless
satisfied you that in no case have the
rights OF privileges of American fisher
men been overlooked or neglected, but
that on the contrary they have ben sed-
uCusly insisted on and cared for by every
means within control of the execu-
| tive branch Of the government
The act of Congress approved
March 3, 1887, authorizing a course
of retaliation through executive action in
event of the continuance on the part of
the British American authorities of I'M
friendly conduct and treaty violations
affecting American fishermen, has de-
vOlved upon the President Of the
United States an exceedingly grave
and solemn responsibility, COmDre-
hending highly important consequences
TO our national character and dignity and
involving extremely valuable commercial
intercourse with the British possessions
of North America and the people of the
United States. | understand that the
main purpose Of your letter is to suggest,
in case OF recourse to retallatory
measures encouraged by this act should
be invited by unjust treatment of our
fisherman in the future, that such re-
taliation might be fully accomplished
by "prohibiting Canadian caught fish from
entry to ports of the United States. -"
The existing controversy is one in which
two nations are the parties concerned.
The retaliation contemplated by the act
of Congress to be enforced is not to pro-
tect any particular interest, however
meritorious or valuable, but to maintain |
our national honor and thus protect all !
our people. In this view the violation |
of American fishery rights and unjust
or unfriendly acts toward q portion of |
our citizens enga. in this business, is |
but the occasion for action and cOnsti- |
tutes national affair which gives birth |
to or justifies retaliation. This measure |
once resorted to, its effectiveness and |
value may well depend upon the thorough !!
ness and extent of its application; and in |
the performance of International duries, |
the enforcement of international rights |
and the protection of our citizens this |
government and the people Of the United |
States must act as unit, all intent upon |
attaining The best result of retaliation |
upon the basis Of the maintenance of our |
national honor end duty. a nation seek
iEg by any means 10 maintain it's honor,
dignity and Integrity is engaged in
protecting the rights of its people,
and ii in such efforts particular interests
are injured, and special advantages for
feited, these things should be patrioticaIIy
borne for the public good. An immense
volume of population, manufactures and
agricultural productions and marine
tonnage and railways, TO which these have
given activity, are largely the result of the
intercourse between the United States
and British America, and the natural
growth Of full half q century of good
ana friendly communica-
ton forms an aggregate of material
wealth and Incidental relations of most
impressive magnitude. fully appreciate
these things and am not unmindtul of the
great number of our people who are con-
cerned in such vast and diversified inter
ests. In the performance of the serious
duty which Congress has imposed on me,
and in the exercise, on just Occasion,
of the power conferred under the
act referred to, I shall deem
myself bound to infict no unnecessary
damage or injury upon any portion of our
people, but shall nevertheless be IN
finchingly guided by sense of what the
self-respect and dignity of the nation de-
mands. In the maintenance of these and
in support Of the honor of the government,
beneath which every citizen may repose
in safety, no sacrifice of personal interest
shall be considered as against the general
welfare. Very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.
TEXAS NOTES.
Special to the Gazette.
WASHINGTON, April 8.-A letter from